Netflix halts ‘House of Cards’ season 6 production, spinoffs in development

Amid Kevin Spacey’s unfolding scandal, Netflix announced that production on House of Cards season 6 — which was announced to be the final season after news of the allegations broke — has been suspended indefinitely.

Netflix’s announcements regarding the series status came after Spacey was accused of sexual assault by Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp in an interview with BuzzFeed. Rapp alleges that Spacey made unwanted sexual advances while Rapp was a minor. While House of Cards collapses under the weight of its own real-world scandal, rumors have begun the surface that we haven’t seen the last of the series’ dark political universe, Variety reports.

Reports are that at least three potential spinoff ideas are being explored by Netflix. Specifically, a series that centers on Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly), Frank Underwood’s (Spacey) chief of staff and right-hand man, seems to be the forerunner. Eric Roth, who was the executive producer on House of Card’s first four seasons, and currently the executive producer of TNT’s upcoming Victorian thrillers series, The Alienist, is set to write the series. What the other two potential spinoff ideas are unknown.

It’s no surprise that Netflix wants to keep House of Cards alive in some way, as it was the first breakthrough the streaming service had with its original content when it premiered in 2013. The show centers on Underwood, who begins the series as a Democratic congressman and House majority whip, but slowly works his way up to through the Washington political power chain to the vice presidency, and ultimately the Oval Office, through crime and subterfuge, backstabbing and manipulating others along the way.

Throughout the series, Underwood relies on Stamper to do much of the heavy lifting, doing everything from covering up secrets, tracking down leaks, acting as the fall man — and far worse — all the keep his boss safe. It makes sense that such a character would be under consideration for his own series.

Whether we actually see such a show remains to be seen, but it is a safe bet that Netflix will do somethingto keep the franchise alive.